The art of cast fishing has evolved over countless centuries as both a primary source of obtaining food and a source of recreational pleasure. One of the inherent problems facing all cast fishermen is the inability to accurately locate and, more importantly, regulate the position of a baited hook and sinker once cast into the water. As a consequence, the baited hook may snag on the bottom of rivers, lakes and even the ocean itself. In addition, because the sinker and hook generally strike and continue through the water at an angle to the surface, it is often difficult to determine precisely where the hook should strike the water to ensure the proper final position of the hook.
In an effort to overcome these problems, the self-winding bobber or float assembly was devised and perfected. Essentially, a rotatable spool-like structure was mounted in a hollow bobber which was made inherently buoyant. A preselected length of fishing line was inserted into the float and wound on the spool, with a portion of the fishing line extending from the bobber and having a sinker and hook attached thereto. The bobber was then either dropped directly into the water as when bobber fishing from a dock or an attempt was made to cast the bobber from a fishing rod held by the fisherman. During such a casting operation, the bobber, sinker and hook were cast as a unit, with the weight of the sinker functioning to unwind the fishing line from the spool following impact of the bobber against the water.
However, casting known bobbers proved to be unsatisfactory, in that the hook and sinker would move about the bobber, creating a centrifugal force which tended to tangle the fishing line and destroy the bait attached to the hook. Furthermore, it was difficult to cast the bobber any significant distance and still have the hook and sinker drop to a preselected depth. As a result, known self-winding bobbers have been generally unsatisfactory in bobber fishing and, more particularly, in cast fishing.
An example of a typical, self-winding bobber assembly is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,613 issued Jan. 23, 1968 to Sewell, wherein a hollow bobber is formed from a pair of shell sections joined together with a rotatable spool assembly mounted therein. The Sewell device has proven less than completely satisfactory for a variety of reasons. First, Sewell suggests a relatively complex and cumbersome structure, wherein the shell sections must be completely separated from one another in order to thread the fishing line onto the spool. Second, Sewell suggests that the fishing line enter and exit the bobber through apertures which straddle the shell sections. This allows one or both of the shell sections to be accidently dropped upon separation of the bobber, an event of distinct possibility as when handled on a rocking boat or while standing in the middle of a swiftly flowing stream. Third, the varying structure of the spool assembly allows the fishing line to easily jump the dividing plate and become entangled. Furthermore, the relatively small diameter of the spool relative to the size of the shell sections makes it difficult for the fishing line to generate sufficient leverage to automatically initiate rotation of the spool in either direction. In addition, it has been observed that fishing line tightly wrapped about a small diameter spool tends to act like a coil spring, making it difficult for the weight of the sinker to initiate automatic unwinding of the fishing line as required.
In an effort to overcome the types of problems facing Sewell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,256 issued July 21, 1964 to McBriar suggests that the spool member have a relatively large diameter as compared to Sewell, with the dividing plate extending almost into contact with the shell walls. While McBriar appears to suggest a partial solution to the problems of fishing line entanglement and insufficient leverage, it is clear that McBriar also requires separation of the shell sections to initiate threading of the fishing line onto the spool assembly. Furthermore, McBriar, like Sewell, also forms entry and exit apertures which straddle the shell sections, leading to the same possible loss of one or both shell sections as facing Sewell.
A third approach to the problem is demonstrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,169,339 issued Feb. 16, 1965 to Ekstrand, which suggests a shell structure which need not be separated to initiate threading of the fishing line onto a pair of separate spool assemblies. However, Ekstrand suggests that a costly and elaborate clutch mechanism be employed for selectively engaging the two spools to one another for joint rotation. In addition, the relatively small size of the spools as compared to the distance between the spools and the inner shell, creates the possibility of the fishing line jumping between spools and becoming entangled as a result. Finally, Ekstrand also faces the same problem as Sewell, namely, that the fishing line cannot develop sufficient leverage to initiate self-winding of the spools in either direction as required.
An object of the present invention is to provide a self-winding bobber assembly, wherein a spool assembly is constructed of sufficient size to ensure that a fishing line wrapped about the spool will develop sufficient leverage to initiate self-winding of the spool in either direction.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a self-threading casting bobber, wherein a fishing line can be wound onto a spool mounted within the bobber without separation of a pair of surrounding shell sections.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a casting bobber, wherein entry and exit apertures are formed in separate shell sections to prevent loss of either shell section of the bobber once threaded.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a bobber, wherein a unitary spool assembly is rotatably positioned within a pair of attached shell sections, with the spool assembly including a dividing plate of sufficient size so as to positively prevent the fishing line from jumping between opposite sides of the spool assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bobber assembly, wherein a pair of buoyancy disks are mounted in the shell sections and are formed with flange portions to allow ultrasonic welding between the buoyancy disks and the surrounding shell sections.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-threading bobber, wherein a locking shaft extends through the pair of attached shell sections, with the locking shaft being selectively positionable to fixedly attach the fishing line to the bobber assembly.